It's a very American question, isn't it? Equally All-American were some of Slate's findings. That you can ask for anything you want, but the government might not give it to you. And that the most requested last meal is, surprise, a cheeseburger and fries. Until five years ago, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice actually announced the last meals of executed prisoners. (They do not do this anymore, as it was deemed offensive.) As if to underscore the point, this week's New Yorker includes an excellent piece exploring why the US has the highest homicide rate of any affluent democracy, 4 times that of France and the UK, and 6 times Germany. Hey, at least we make the best cheeseburgers.